"Alimony" is money a judge orders one spouse to pay the other when a couple gets divorced. The money is to support the spouse who gets it.The amount of alimony should generally be no more than the receiving spouse needs or 30–35 percent of the difference between the parties' gross incomes. Yes, alimony can begin when child support ends. Child support is a payment from one parent to the other while the child is unemancipated. 'Cavanagh' makes clear concurrent alimony and child support orders are allowed and implements an analysis Massachusetts judges must follow. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reworked alimony and child support with little regard for common practices in the Probate Court. Serve the papers. 2. The court determines whether the party paying child support can also pay spousal support. In Massachusetts, alimony is generally not paid in addition to child support.